Reference display systems for superimposing a tomagraphic image onto the focal plane of an operating microscope
First Claim
1. A method of integrating image information from an imaging device and an operating microscope during an operative procedure on body parts of a patient comprising:
- positioning an operating microscope in the course of said operative procedure at an operative location relative to the patient;
establishing the spatial relationship among the image information, the patient, and the focal plane of the microscope;
introducing the image information and spatial relationship to a computer and reformatting the image information to generate a computer-generated image of the body part at a determined plane related to the focal plane of the microscope; and
projecting the computer-generated image into the optics of the operating microscope for coordinated viewing of the computer-generated image and the patient.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reference display system that receives information from an imaging system (e.g., a CT scanner or the like), that extracts or derives three-dimensional anatomical and/or pathological information about a part of a body (e.g., the brain or other organ) of a patient. The information is digitized in the imaging system and is introduced to a computer that is programmed to reformat the digitized information to provide as output electric signal representative of the digitized information. An optical display system (e.g., a cathode ray tube, CRT, and related circuitry) is connected to receive the output of the computer and is operable to present the reformatted information at a determined plane during an operative procedure. An operating microscope is freely located in the operative location relative to the patient during the operative procedure, the focal plane of the microscope establishing the determined plane. A way is provided to establish the spatial relationship among the imaging system, the patient, and the focal plane of the microscope; and a mechanism is provided to project the reformatted imaging system information into the optics and onto the focal plane of the operating microscope during the operative procedure, the reformatted image being displayed as an overlay upon the optical image of the body part on which the operation is being performed.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of integrating image information from an imaging device and an operating microscope during an operative procedure on body parts of a patient comprising:
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positioning an operating microscope in the course of said operative procedure at an operative location relative to the patient; establishing the spatial relationship among the image information, the patient, and the focal plane of the microscope; introducing the image information and spatial relationship to a computer and reformatting the image information to generate a computer-generated image of the body part at a determined plane related to the focal plane of the microscope; and projecting the computer-generated image into the optics of the operating microscope for coordinated viewing of the computer-generated image and the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 16)
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6. A method of referencing for integrating information received from an imaging device and an operating microscope during an operative procedure on a body part of a patient, that comprises:
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introducing said information to a computer which is operable to reformat the received information which is then presented as a computer-generated image of the body part at a determinable place; positioning an operating microscope in the course of said operative procedure at an operative location relative to the patient, the focal plane of the microscope being at said determinable plane; establishing the spatial relationship among the computer-generated image, the patient and the focal plane of the microscope; and projecting the computer-generated image into the optics of the operating microscope.
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7. A reference display system to receive information from an imaging system that extracts three-dimensional information about a part of the body of a patient, the system comprising:
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an operating microscope positioned in an operative location relative to the patient; means for establishing the spatial relationship among the imaging system information, the patient, and the focal plane of the microscope; computer means connected to received the information from the imaging system and from said means for establishing the spatial relationship and programmed to reformat the information from the imaging system to provide an output signal representative of a computer-generated image corresponding to a determined plane having a predetermined relationship with the focal plane of the microscope; and means to project the computer-generated image for coordinated viewing of the computer-generated image and the patient through the operating microscope. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification